Reed musical instrument



Nov. 5, 1935. H. w. LoNEY t 2,020,251

' REED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 8, 1955 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATESv REED MUSICAL INSTRUIKENT Hugh W. Loney, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to C. G. Conn, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application March 8, 1935, Serial No. 9,971

8 Claims.

My invention relates to reed musical instruments, and particularly to the octave sockets therefor.

In reed musical instruments, more especially the saxophone, in which the conventional type of octave key socket is incorporated, the air pulsations issuing from the open octave hole impings directly upon the soft pad of the octave key associated therewith and cause a. buzzing I sound, this sound being particularly conspicuous on high A of saxophones and to some degree when the adjacent note (B-flat) is played, thereby materially impairing the tone quality.

'I'he principal objects of my invention are, to

i reduce the velocity of the air pulsations issuing from the octave socket to a negligible degree prior to impingement thereof on the soft pad of the octave key, and to cause the air to eddy at an appreciable distance below the top of the octave l socket, or keypad seat, thereby causing the iiow of air pulsations to lose their violence before reaching the top of the octave socket.

Other and more specific objects of my invention are mentioned and described therein.

i The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a saxophone mouthpipe to which my invention is applied;

Figure 2 illustrates a section taken on line 2-2 D of Figure l; and

Figure 3 illustrates an enlarged sectional view of the octave socket alone.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views op the drawins- Referring now to the details of the drawing the numeral I indicates a type of saxophone mouthpipe now in general use which is provided with the curved octave key bar 2 which is pivotally mounted on the mouthpipe at 3, the lower end of said key bar being provided with the usual ring 4 for tilting said key bar, as is well known in the art. 'Ihe upper end of the bar 2 is provided with the usual soft key pad 5 which is normally held in contact with the upper octave socket 6 by a spring 1, also well known 'in the art.

The present common type of octave socket consists of a tubular member having a cylindrical o bore drilled axially thereof, and it is this octave socket construction which causes the air pulsations to impinge directly and violently upon the soft pad 5, producing a buzzing sound which is especially conspicuous on high A of saxophones.

is It is this disagreeable and tone impairlng buzz that my invention is intended to, and does, obviate.

My improved octave socket is indicated generally by the numeral 6, the shank portion of which is indicated by the numeral I4, said shank 5 section being adapted to be rigidly secured in a suitable opening formed in the wall of the mouthpipe and which may project to the interior of said pipe, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. 'Ihe upper end of the socket shank section 10 1 may terminate in a shoulder 8 which may engage the exterior adjacent surface of the mouth, pipe. As illustrated, that portion of the socket 6 which is exteriorly of the mouthpipe is somewhat flared, but such. a ared condition thereof is not essential to the merits of my improved socket.

'Ihe bore of my octave socket may comprise the outwardly flaring conical bore section I0 at the top end thereof, the inner or lower end of said bore being connected with the relatively short conical bore section II by an annular beveled shoulder I2, said conical section II terminating at the upper end of the cylindrical bore section which is in direct communication with the interior of the pipe I. In this socket bore construction the top section I0 effects a wide angle of flare, whereby a smooth flow of the air pulsations is effectually prevented, the best pulsation deterrent results being obtained by a 29 degree flare, 30 as illustrated. And to induce the necessary air eddies the lower section I I of the conical bore is formed at a slightly different angle (27 degrees) and of reduced diameter, said bores I0 and Il being connected by the beveled annular shoulder I2.

As illustrated, the annular shoulder I2 is-beveled relatively to the socket axis at 150 degrees which proportions have been found by extensive experimenting to be the most effective in inducing the necessary air eddies prior to the entrance of the air pulsations to the top socket section I0.

It will thus be apparent that the combination of the conical bores III and II connected by the beveled shoulder I2 provide, generally, a stepped, 45 or interrupted, corneal bore for the socket element 6; or, in dierent language, a pair of spaced conical bores of different sizes which are connected by an annular shoulder extending circumferentially of the socket interior. It will be noted that the conical bore section I0 extends downward substantially into the shank section I4 of the socket body, and that the bores II and I3, as well as beveled shoulder I2, lie wholly within the socket shank section.

While I have shown my improved octave socket applied to the mouthpipe of a saxophone it will be apparent, to those skilled in the art, that it may be applied also to any part of a reed musical instrument body where such a socket could be operatively applied.

I claim:

1. A reed musical instrument provided with a padded key and a socket therefor, said socket being provided with a pair of spaced conical bores.

2. A reed musical instrument provided with a padded key and a socket thereforLsaid socket being provided with a pair of spaced conical bores connected by an annular shoulder.

3. A reed musical instrument provided with a padded key and a socket therefor, said socket being formed with a pair of spaced conical bores, one of said bores being connected with a cylindrical bore.

4. A reed musical instrument provided with a padded key and a socket therefor, said socket being provided with a pair of spaced conical bores connected by an annular beveled shoulder.

5. In a reed musical instrument, an octave key socket having a shank section, said socket being provided with a conical stepped bore which extends into said shank section.

6. In a reed musical instrument, an octave key socket having a shank section, said socket being provided with a conical stepped bore which extends into said shank section, one of said conical bores joining a cylindrical bore in said socket.

7. In a reed musical instrument, an octave key socket provided with a conical stepped bore.

8. In a `reed musical instrument, an octave key socket provided with a pair of spaced conical bores connected by an annular shoulder. 

